Vacuum cleaner hose



OGL 12, 1965 n.1.. BROWN ETAL VACUUM CLEANER HSE Filed Feb. 15. 1961 IN VEN TOR S Env/wom) LBow/v D@ vm E Dow/viv THEIR ATTORNEY United States Patent C) M 3,211,823 VACUUM CLEANER HOSE Raymond L. Brown, Banksville, N.Y., and David F.

Downey, Stamford, Conn., assignors to Electrolux Corporation, Old Greenwich, Conn., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 15, 1961, Ser. No. 89,560 4 Claims. (Cl. 174-47) Our invention relates to hose and more particularly to Vacuum cleaner suction hose in which is incorporated a pair of electric conductors.

In suction 'hose it is necessary to provide reinforcing means in order to prevent collapse of the hose when subjected to sub-atmospheric pressure and this reinforcing means is usually in the form of a spirally wound steel wire, around which is wrapped a rubberized sheet of material, preferably nylon friction sheeting, to provide the airtight carcass of the hose. In accordance with our invention, a p air of' reinforcing wires wound in the form of a double spiral is substituted for the aforesaid single spiral wound wire.

During manufacture of ay hose of this general type it is Customary to wind a jute cord around the rubberized sheeting in order to hold it in place prior to vulcanizing. However, in accordance with our invention a pair of suitably insulated conductor wires is wound around the outside of the wrapped sheeting in the form of a double spiral, the turns of the conductors being spaced between the turns of the reinforcing wires. The conductors are wound tightly enough so as to pull the sheeting inwardly between the turns of the reinforcing wires, thus forming spiral grooves in which the conductors are disposed.

The foregoing assemblage is then subjected to a high temperature, preferably a stea-m atmosphere in a device called an autoclave, the heat serving to vulcanize the rubberized sheeting so as to bond it to the reinforcing wires and to itself. Thereafter, an outer tubular casing is provided for the purpose of providing an attractive and protective outer surface for the iinished hose.

By wrapping the conductors around the outside of the tubular sheet material they, and particularly their insulation, are protected from abrasion or other damage by metallic objects which may be drawn through the hose during use and they are isolated from any liquid which may be drawn into the hose. The conductors are insulated from each other not only by their own insulation, but by the -fact that they are separate wires which are spaced from each other at all points. These conductors and their insulation are protected from abrasion against any surface over which the hose is moved by the outer tubular casing.

Further objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings which form part of the specification and of which;

FIG. 1 is a side view, partially broken away, of a vacuum cleaner hose in accordance with our present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view on an enlarged scale partially broken away and partially in cross-section showing a portion of the hose illustrated in FIG. l; and

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but showing another embodiment of our invention.

Referring to the drawings, reference character designates generally a suction hose secured at one end to one element 12 of a separable coupling and at the other end to a rigid metal tube 14. As is shown more particularly in FIG. 2, hose 10 includes a pair of reinforcing wires 16 and 18 wound in the form of a double spiral to form an elongated coil. Wrapped around the reinforcing 3,211,823 Patented Oct.v 12, 1965 wires is a sheet 2l) of airtight rubberized material, preferably nylon friction sheeting. After the sheeting 20 has been wrapped around the spiral reinforcing wires with its opposite edges overlapped to form a seam 21, two conductors 22 and 24 are wound around the sheeting in the spaces between the spiral reinforcing wires with each respective conductor positioned intermediate alter nate pairs of each of said wires. The conductors are wound tightly enough to draw the sheeting inwardly between the reinforcing wires so as to form spiral grooves therebetween within which the conductors are located.

During the manufacture of the suction hose the conductors 22 and 24 thus serve to retain the sheeting 20 wrapped around the spiral reinforcing wires 16 and 18 which form a portion of the interior surface of the hose. In this condition the assemblage is subjected to the high temperature of a steam atmosphere in an autoclave. This vulcanizes the rubber present in the sheeting 20 and causes it to form a bond with the reinforcing wires and with itself along the overlapped seam 21 to form a tubular airtight carcass. These Wires are made of steel for strength to prevent collapse of the hose under the conditions of its use, but preferably are brass coated in order that the rubber may form a suitable bond therewith. The conductors 22 and 24 are preferably made of copper and each is insulated with an insulation suitable for the service to which the hose is intended to be subjected and capable of withstanding the vulcanizing process in the autoclave. A suitable insulation is silicone rubber.

After the vulcanizing process has been completed the hose is provided with an outer protective and decorative casing. As shown in the drawings this may consist of braiding 26 which surrounds the sheeting 20 and the conductors 22 and 24. `Due to the fact that the conductors are disposed in the spiral groove formed in the sheeting by the tight wrapping of the conductors, they do not form spiral ridges in the braiding 26 and the outer surface of the latter is smooth. This braided covering protects the insulated conductors 22 and 24 from abrasion against any surface over which the hose may be moved, thus eliminating the possibility of damaging the insulation. The two conductors 22 and 24 are insulated from each other not only by the insulation on each conductor, but also by the fact that they are separated from each other throughout their length and are supported on the insulating surface of the rubberized sheet material 20. This material also separates the conductors from the reinforcing wires 16 and 18 and isolates the conductors from water or other liquid which may pass through the hose. The conductors and their insulation are also protected from damage by sharp metallic objects which may be drawn through the hose.

Any suitable terminals may be provided for the conductors at the ends of the hose. As is shown in FIG. 1, the conductors at the right end of the hose are brought out through the braiding and into a receptacle 28 having a band 30 integral therewith and encircling the hose for securing the receptacle to the latter. The conductors are connected to recessed contacts 32 which-are adapted to receive the prongs of a suitable electric plug. At the left end of the hose adjacent the separable connector 12 the conductors are connected to a two-conductor cord 34 provided at its opposite end with a male plug 36.

In use, the hose may be connected to the inlet of a vacuum cleaner by means of the separable connector 12, the plug 36 being engaged with a suitable receptacle on the vacuum cleaner. The rigid tube 14 may be connected to the hollow handle or wand leading from a suction nozzle provided with a motor-driven brush and having a cord provided with a suitable plug for connection with the receptacle 28. In this way electric power may be 3 supplied to the nozzle through the conductors 22 and 24 in the hose.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3 is similar to that above described, with the exception that a length of tape 38 is wound spirally around the carcass after the conductors 22 and 24 have been wound in place. This tape preferably is made of rubberized sheeting so that during the vulcanizing process the overlapping edges of the tape 38 are vulcanized together and the inner surface of the tape is vulcanized to the outer surface of the sheeting 20. The purpose of this tape is to further insulate and protect the conductors 22 and 24. As was the case in the irst embodiment, an outer decorative covering 26 in the form of a braided tube is provided around the spirally wound tape.

While we have shown and described two more or less specific embodiments of our invention it is to be understood that this has been done for the purpose of illustration only and that the scope of our invention is not to be limited thereby, but is to be determined from the appended claims.

The method of fabricating hose as disclosed but not claimed herein, constitutes the claimed subject matter of our divisional application Serial No. 205,043 filed June 25, 1962 and patented concurrently herewith.

What we claim is:

1. In a suction hose, a pair of individual and relatively strong reinforcing Wires spaced apart with substantially xed pitch and wound in the form of a double spiral to form an elongated coil,

each of said individual wires alternating with each other throughout the length of said elongated coil with said ixed pitch spacing providing substantially an equal spacing of reinforcing wire helixes,

a relatively airtight tubular carcass mounted in surrounding contact with said elongated coil,

a pair of electrical conductors wound around the exterior of `said tubular carcass in the form of a double spiral and disposed intermediate the adjacent turns of said pair of reinforcing wires thereby to position one of the conductors of said pair between adjacent reinforcing wires and to position each conductor of said pair intermediate alternate pairs of each of said reinforcing wires along the length of said coil,

the spirals of each of said pairs of reinforcing wires i for-ming a portion of the interior surface of the suction hose.

2, A suction hose as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular carcass is comprised of rubberized flexible material,

said conductors being under such tension as to pull the rubberized material radially inwardly between the turns of the reinforcing wires to form spiral grooves of uniform depth thoughout the length of said tubular carcass,

a strip of insulating tape of rubberized sheeting spiral-V ly wound on said carcass over said conductors, said insulating tape being secured to said conductors and to said tubular carcass,

and a tubular protective outer casing snugly engaging and surrounding said insulating tape. 3. A suction hose as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular carcass is comprised of rubberized flexible ma-` terial,

said conductors being disposed on said rubberized flexible material with, sucient tension therein to thereby form spiral grooves in said rubberized ilexible material and thereby spacially anchor the coils of said reinforcing wires relative to each other,

said rubberized flexible material being integrally bonded to said reinforcing Wires and said conductors,

and a substantially smooth outer protective tubular casing contactingly surrounding said carcass and said conductors.

4. A suction hose as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular carcass is comprised of rubberized flexible material,

said pair of electrical conductors being under such tension around said rubberized flexible material as to form spiral depressions therein whereby said sheeting is held in close positioning contact with said reinforcing wires,

a strip of insulating tape of rubberized sheeting spirally wound around said carcass over said conductors with the edges of the tape in overlapping relation,

said reinforcing wires and conductors 4and said insulating tape being bonded together with said carcass rubberized sheeting material to form a unitary structure,

and a tubular protective outer casing snugly engaging said insulating tape in surrounding relation thereon and providing a substantially smooth outer hose surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 837,512 12/ 06 Seeley 174-47 2,011,781 18/35 Tabozzi 138-131 2,07 2,690 3 3 7 Smellie. 2,385,389 9/45 Toepper et al. 13S-131 2,516,864 y8/50 Gilmore et al. 2,530,105 1'1/ 5 0 Wallace. 2,534,140 1.2/50 Moore. '2,597,806 5/52 Martin 13S-122 2,602,608 7/ 52 Darling 174-47 `2,743,759 5/56 Snow et al. 156-14 I2,901,024 8/59' Marsden 156-14 2,917,568 l2/'59 Moorman et al 138-122 X 3,091,261 5/63 Waddell 138-122 FOREIGN PATENTS Il 0,921 5 02 Great Britain. 797,500 7/ 58 Great Britain.

LARAMIE E. ASKI-N, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD V. BENHAM, JOHN P. WILDMAN,

Examiners. 

1. IN A SUCTION HOSE, A PAIR OF INDIVIDUAL AND RELATIVELY STRONG REINFORCING WIRES SPACED APART WITH SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED PITCH AND WOUND IN THE FORM OF A DOUBLE SPIRAL TO FORM AN ELONGATED COIL, EACH OF SAID INDIVIDUAL WIRES ALTERNATING WITH EACH OTHER THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID ELONGATED COIL WITH SAID FIXED PITCH SPACING PROVIDING SUBSTANTIALLY AN EQUAL SPACING OF REINFORCING WIRE HELIXES, A RELATIVELY AIRTIGHT TUBULAR CARCASS MOUNTED IN SURROUNDING CONTACT WITH SAID ELONGATED COIL, A PAIR OF ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS WOUND AROUND THE EXTERIOR OF SAID TUBULAR CARRCASS IN THE FORM OF A DOUBLE SPIRAL AND DISPOSED INTERMEDIATE THE ADJACENT TURNS OF SAID PAIR OF REINFORCING WIRES THEREBY TO POSITION ONE OF THE CONDUCTORS OF SAID PAIR BETWEEN ADJACENT REINFORCING WIRES AND TO POSITION EACH CONDUCTOR OF SAID PAIR INTERMEDIATE ALTERNATE PAIRS OF EACH OF SAID REINFORCING WIRES ALONG THE LENGTH OF SAID COIL, THE SPIRALS OF EACH OF SAID PAIRS OF REINFORCING WIRES FORMING A PORTION OF THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF THE SUCTION HOSE. 